San Francisco  - In the ten years since the internet became an integral part of mainstream life, it has revolutionized the way millions of people work, shop, chat and learn.

But it was not until 2008 that the net revolutionized the political system and allowed a promising black politician to rise from an obscure state senator to president elect in just four short years.

Washington  - Barack Obama ran as the candidate of change, but as he transitions toward the United States presidency many talking heads and even some supporters are beginning to wonder just what that change might actually look like.

During the long election campaign, Obama did his best to distance himself from political insiders, denouncing chief rival Hillary Clinton and later Republican opponent John McCain as more of the same old Washington politics beholden to lobbyists and other special interests.

Washington  - While he may have been elected by US voters on November 4, the process of formally naming president-elect Barack Obama to the post only began Monday.

State electors from around the country gathered in their respective state capitals to cast their ballots under the country's complex Electoral College system, officially making Obama the first African-American to capture the White House.

Virgin Media, the UK's leading broadband provider, has rolled out its ultra fast 50Mb broadband service in UK.

With nearly nine times(1) the average headline broadband speed, the service comes with a new DOCSIS3.0 modem, a wireless 'N' router offering the UK's fastest wireless connection, plus free anti-virus and anti-spyware software as well as unlimited downloads.  
 

Washington, Dec 16: Eating just one small chocolate truffle can trigger cravings for more fatty foods, says a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.

What's more, the sinful indulgence can even awaken a desire for high-end status products, the study found.

In a study that examined goals and behavior in consumers, authors Juliano Laran of University of Miami and Chris Janiszewski of University of Florida found that study participants who consumed a chocolate truffle desired ice cream, pizza, and potato chips more than people who were told to resist eating a truffle.

When participants were allowed eat a truffle, they unconsciously activated a goal of indulgence, the authors explain.

Seoul  - South Korea's government on Tuesday lowered its forecast for 2009 economic growth from a previous 4 per cent to 3 per cent because of the global financial crisis.

President Lee Myung Bak told his cabinet that the depths of the current downturn was expected in the first half of 2009 as he ordered his government to act quickly to mitigate the impact of the crisis on South Korea and look toward its future recovery.